About Us

Wednesday, 11 March 2020

Each industrial
revolution has brought with it phenomenal changes in terms of the use of
sophisticated machinery to make our work easier and faster. During the first three
Industrial Revolutions, as humans we had little or no idea that robotics and artificial
intelligence (AI) would become a part of our lifestyle.

With the accelerated
development in AI, the internet of things, robotics, augmented reality, and
virtual reality, concepts associated with the 4th Industrial
Revolution (4IR) - are words we are all familiar with. Libraries world-wide are
increasingly deploying robots and AI for varied reasons, resulting in the
dynamic change in the evolution of our jobs. As librarians, we need to focus on
reskilling and embracing new training opportunities in order to thrive in our
jobs, and to address the challenges we are faced with.

Technologies of 4IR have
made it possible for us to shop online, book airfares and

hotel/Air/BnB accommodation,
pay our bills, book a ride such as Bolt Taxi or Uber, utilise health
applications (apps) that enable us to track the number of steps we have taken
in a day, or to track our calorie intake and the like.

Blockchain is an
ingenious invention whereby information is distributed without being
copied. Blockchain, best known for digital
currency Bitcoin, brings supply chain management thinking into all kinds

of
activities that libraries undertake.Blockchain’s financial
applications makes it possible to use blockchain-based currencies like bitcoin
to purchase library materials such as databases with the potential to eliminate
exchange rate problems between libraries and publishers.

In our continent Africa,
some countries have yet to enjoy the benefits of the 2nd Industrial
Revolution such as electricity. And talking about electricity, with our
continuous load-shedding from Eskom, would smart grids instead of a centralised
grid be the answer to our problems? A smart grid will ensure a regular,
sustainable electricity supply, with fewer losses and greater reliability and
security.

Some
differences between ‘Man’ and Machine:

Are the services and
trajectories of humanity being obscured by the power of 4IR and its economic
benefits? There is a great sense of concern that 4IR is taking humans out of work,
increasing our already elevated unemployment situation and creating a grim
future for the next generation. The answer to these problems may be addressed
in the imminent 5th Industrial Revolution.

What are some of the
changes we would like to see in the next Industrial Revolution – 5th Industrial Revolution?

Would we like a world
that is better than just being one that is more productive, more efficient and
makes more financial profit?

Would climate change,
sustainable living and saving our environment be considered?